Scott’s Motorcycle Blog

1st Darkside Tire- 12000 miles

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 19:37:00 -0400

My first Dunlop SP5000 was replaced with about 12,000 miles on it.

While it’s a little better than my Metzlers ME880 Mileage (11,000 and 9,000), and 3x better than the original stock tire (4,000), it falls a a bit short of the 20k+ I was hoping for.

Since others are getting over 20k+ with this tire, and more than I with the standard MC tires, I can only assume that the mileage falloff is due to riding habit differences. Also, I ran the tire pressure a bit higher than the sweet spot (36/38 lbs) for more than half of the life, which will cut down on the center tread life.

While there is a lot of rubber on the road with this tire it is a softer compound than MC specific tires and may be more susceptible to tire shredding fast starts.

I’ll try to be conscious of this for this next tire and see if I can extend the mileage while still having a bit of fun once in awhile.

So far I’ve taken a quick test ride of the new rubber and, even though it’s around 40lbs for a bit of breaking in, the handling isn’t all that bad! I’ll drop it down to the 31lb sweet spot after a few rides...

V*1300 vs. Sportster 1200

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 10:38:25 -0400

My brother and I finally "lined them up" at the local 1/8th mile drag strip's Wed. Cruise Nite. Unfortunately I didn't get the camera out so we only got the times as our buds remembered them-- since it was a cruise night and only $5 per run they didn't hand out slips..

I've got a 2007 V*1300 with RoadBurner 2-1, Thunder Vertical S&S air, and a Cobra CL.

He's got a 2004 Harley Sportster 1200 with pipes, air kit,screaming eagle pistons, and a screaming eagle Head kit-- not sure what his final displacement is- he's being coy...
 On each run I'd pull him on the start but he'd gain ground like crazy in 2nd-- his bike really pulls strong...

I edged him out the first run though his time was faster-- about a 8.74 @ 83 mph vs his 8.67 secs.

Second run we both launched pretty good-- he edged me out with a 8.2x vs my 8.4 secs (both at about 85 mph)

Third run I didn't keep the RPMs up enough at launch and bogged it-- he beat me 8.2 to 8.75....

I stripped the bike down to a solo seat, bare fender, deflector shield and no bags to offset some of his weight advantage. He's still probably about 100lbs under overall with almost as much peak HP and a really strong power band.

I think I could definitely launch even better-- I had hoped to come out with a bit of a spin but it bogged each time. Does TL give lessons? :-)

Also, I should have checked the Cobra settings-- they were at 1-3-4 and I could probably have used a bit more in the middle section.

Note to self- I'd love to try the PowerCommander V w/AutoTune to see how the bike runs with a complete EFI tuning.....

Next Up- Wagner Xenon BriteLite

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 10:32:44 -0400

The Silverstar Ultra lost it's high beam element the other day- that gave it a longevity of 8k miles and 6 months, which puts it a little ahead of the regular Silverstars I've tried. The Ultra had much better night visibility and distance however.
Next up-- the Wagner Xenon BriteLite H4BL. (which can be found at most NAPAs)

First Impressions: At first I thought- well, it's not as bright as the Silverstar Ultra, but not bad. 
After I got used to it I started noticing that although I couldn't see reflective bits quite as far, I could actually see "down the road" details with noticeably more clarity. Where the Silverstar Ultra gave kind of a washed-out halo-ish look to things, the BriteLite shows things more true to form- it's almost as bright, but not so over-white...

I think I like it!

I'll keep y'all posted as to longevity, but if it runs cooler than regular halogens as advertised it may last longer as well.

I'll have to switch my modulator back to high beam mode- perhaps this bulb won't have the nauseating affect of having every reflective sign and marker pulsating back at me in the daytime!

New Power Outlet / PA V*1300 Ride

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:04:53 -0400

My old power outlet died (corrosion) so I got the handlebar mounted Kuryakyn outlet. It tucks away nicely behind my TechMount and powers my new iPhone 3GS quite nicely.

I recently got back from a PA V*1300 Meet & Greet with UncleBob, Tom, BobB, Leo, Jack, and Roger.

We had a nice lunch at TGIF, got to talk bikes and mods, and four of us made it to Bill’s Bike Barn.

Uncle Bob and I had a fun ride that was only slightly dampened by some rain at the start and a torrential downpour that also spawned a tornado near Cuba, NY.

A great time! More picts at: http://gallery.me.com/snourse/100095

VisaPath Headlight Modulator

Wed, 27 May 2009 08:06:53 -0400

I just added a headlight modulator to the ole’ V-Star.

The model I choose is the VisiPath Headlight Modulator 115 watts H4 plug sS115H4 from Comagination.

It features a plug and play installation and a light sensor that automatically turns off the modulation at night. This model operates on high beam.

Installation involved pulling out the light assembly, running the cable for the light sensor out the back of the assembly, plugging the modulator connectors into the light and existing wire, then carefully squeezing it all back in. Simple.

The idea is to be seen/noticed by oncoming traffic and by cars approaching oncoming intersections.

So far it seems to help-- people seem to notice. In fact it might be a bit too steady and signal like-- it appears that I am flashing at them. I had thought the modulation would be more varied and random, but I think it will still work.

My riding buddies noticed it but found that it wasn’t too annoying. They did complain that they will never know if I’m trying to get them to pull over now-- flashing the high beams was always the way to signal that.

A cager did pull over to the shoulder to let the pack by once- which isn’t a terrible thing.

RoadBurner Ride

Sat, 9 May 2009 09:15:00 -0400

A sound clip of a long, boring ride to work with the RoadBurner Velocity Pro exhaust on my V-Star 1300.

I’ve tried to edit out SOME of the boring bits, but thought somebody who’s looking to get this exhaust might want to hear what it sounds like from the rider’s perch under typical neighborhood/highway/city street conditions.

There’s an odd resonance in the mic under certain rpms-- sorry about that!

How I Installed a Stebel Nautilus

Sat, 4 Apr 2009 13:24:29 -0400

The stock horn that comes with the V-Star 1300 is ok, but not really loud enough to be noticeable. It produces more of a “meep meep” sound than a real, solid “HONK!”

My first attempt to add some sound (and safety) to my bike was to add the Fiamm Freeway Blaster Horn (low tone). This horn is fairly compact, can use the stock wires, and with a little twisting can work with the stock mount point. I think the sound is more noticeable than the stock horn, but it wasn’t quite as loud as I had hoped for.

So I decided to try the Stebel Nautilus Ear Cannon (AKA Compact Air Horn) as others have found it to be one of the loudest horns you can put on a bike. The sound clip comparison at the top shows just how loud this thing is- if this thing doesn’t get their attention, I don’t know what will.

My goal was to try to mount it someplace inconspicuous, to keep the wiring and relay setup simple and out of the way, and to keep the Fiamm connected as an additional annoyance to wayward cagers.

I flip flopped many times as to where/how I would mount the air horn. It’s fairly large! My options were:
1. Mount it in the stock location. Due to the exhaust being on this side this placement would make it very noticeable. Plus, I’d lose the Fiamm.
2. Mount it on the shift side (ClaytonG), down low.. between the engine guard and the floorboard.
3. Mount it in the fake left hand cover. The only way I could see to do it was like gwillow- hanging by zip ties-- it just wouldn’t fit well any other way. My main concern with this location after hearing the horn was that it would be too close to my ear - I don’t need more hearing damage!
4. Separate the compressor from the horn part, break off the plastic tabs, and mount them both someplace inconspicuous. Unfortunately the compressor needs to be mounted pretty much upright, and I couldn’t find any out-of the way place to tuck it.

In the end I decided on option 2 with option 3 being a possibility. Here is what I did:

Stuff:
• Stebel Nautilus Ear Cannon
• Aerostitch Wire kit (wires too short)
• Aerostitch Relay (I didn’t realize the Stebel came with one-- but I needed this superior relay anyways)
• Spool of 14 gauge wire
• Some extra ends, connectors, crimpers, etc...
• Some extra 10 amp mini fuses for testing purposes.

The Plan-
Connect the power wire with inline fuse to the battery and run a longer wire under the tank up to the neck. Put the relay up under the frame neck, run the cut and pull the existing wires to plug into the relay, pull power wires to both horns (one on each side) tapping into the Stebel’s power wire coming out of the relay for the Fiamm’s power, and ground the horns to the frame. I also reused the black wire sleeve on the right side to help protect the wire from the exhaust heat.

The Steps-
1. Pop the seat, remove battery cover
2. Remove the tank bolts and the gas light wire connector. Carefully pull the tank back a bit and prop the tank up with rubber mallet. Be careful not to pull too hard on the remaining connected wires/fuel lines and do not pinch any wires or hoses underneath the tank!
3. Remove the right side plastic neck cover.
4. Remove the hex bolt holding bracket to the (I think) fuel injectors. Drill out the mount hole on the relay so the hex bolt will fit- I used this bolt to mount the relay.
5. Run a 14 gauge wire from the neck back towards the battery. I followed some of the existing lines watching not to run the wire anywhere it might get rubbed or burnt.
6. Cut the end of the wire leaving enough slack for adjustments- I left enough so I could snug it up by pulling it towards the back of the bike. Put a female connector on it and connect it to the relay on the appropriate post (30). The Stebel relay included with the horn kept blowing my signal fuses- use a better relay!
7. Cut the zip ties on the right front frame that hold the existing horn wires. You may need to disconnect the neighboring brake wire up near the top to make room- don’t forget to reconnect it.
8. Up in the neck figure out about where you’ll need the existing wires cut to reach the relay. Slice the black wire sleeve in the appropriate spot (make sure it’s for the horn wire!!!), pull the wires out and cut them. Put female connectors on these wires. Remove the rest of the unneeded wires that ran to the horn.
9. Run a new 14 gauge wire for the right side horn through the slit down the sleeve- I used a straightened coat hanger.
10. Run a 14 gauge power wire for the left horn (Stebel) up inside the engine compartment. Mine ran over the radiator hoses and then down along the existing wires on the frame. Cut it at a length that will easily reach the horn when mounted-- you can always take up any slack up inside the neck.
11. Put a female connector on both ends of the left side power wire, and on the horn end of the right side wire.
12. Make some ground wires with female connector ends. I connected the left side under the first bolt holding the running boards/engine guard, and the right side to the horn bracket bolt.
13. Back at the battery, separate the inline fuse wire and mount it to the positive lead as directed.
14. Splice the other end of the fuse wire to the power wire you ran up under the tank- leave a little but not too much slack. Find a nice safe place to run the fuse where but make it so you can still access it.
15. Test the connections- Stebel horn only first! Plug the wires up by the neck in the appropriate posts on the relay. On mine it was - Battery to 30 - Original Horn Ground (black) to 85 0 Original Horn Positive (white) to 86 - New left side horn wire to 87. Attach the ground wire and left side power wire to the correct post on the Stebel ( I tested mine unmounted). Carefully put the inline fuse wire together at the battery. Check things over to make sure the wires are correct per the instructions- turn the key and give it a blast. Warning-- it will be louder than you expect! Let it rip a few times to make sure no fuses are going to blow-- mine seemed good until I headed down the road to test it- the included relay wasn’t good. The bike’s signal fuse blew which knocks out headlight, brake light, and turning signals. Not fun at night!
16. Connect and test the Fiamm. I used a tap connector to tie into the wire running to the Stebel on the left side. Turn off the ignittion, unplug the inline fuse, tap the right side wire into the left side power wire, connect the power wire and ground wire to the Fiamm. Reconnect the inline fuse and test it good!
17. Once you’re sure the wiring is right it’s time to button things up. Disconnect the inline fuse, then....
18. Tuck the wires and relay neatly up into the neck opening. Use the hex bolt to secure the relay- I had. Reconnect the brake wire if you disconnected it.
19. Neatly reconnect the wires down the the right side with zip tie fasteners- remember to leave room between the black wire sleeves and the exhaust!
20. Mount the Stebel on the left side and tidy up the wires along that side’s frame. I used the Fiamm’s bracket, drilling out the top hole to accommodate the Stebel’s bolt. I fastened it to the bolt for the wire/hose rubber guide thingy- a washer on the outside helped stiffen it up.
21. Make sure the wire is good under the tank and put the tank back on carefully-- check both sides to make sure no wires or hoses got pinched or pulled off as you guide it back on.
22. Reinstall the battery cover and the tank bolts and gas gauge wire. Tidy up the inline fuse wire
23. Reinstall the neck cover, check the wiring, connectors and bolts and test it out on the road. Take a few extra 10 amp mini fuses just in case and make sure your lights, signals and other electronics are functioning properly!

Once I’m sure I’m going to keep the Stebel Nautilus in this location I will likely paint the compressor and mount bracket black. This mount spot seems about the least conspicuous outside location for this horn.

I really like the mount location for the relay. It makes it fairly easy to access, yet really protects the relay and connections from sight and weather.

The Fiamm Freeway blaster is very much overpowered by the Stebel, but I think it’s still worth keeping it installed. It does add an extra tone to the mix as well as a bit of a stereo effect. Besides, I plan to point it out to people with a “look how loud this little horn is” trick- and scare the daylights out of them when the air horn chimes in. Should be a lot of fun... :-)

National Cycle Hand deflectors

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 13:16:26 -0400

I recently add National Cycle’s hand deflectors to help out with cold weather riding.

The 25-35 degree (f) mornings have left my finger tips quite purple by the time I get to work. I’m hoping that these will help on cold mornings as well as on long trips.

They mount easily to the mirror stems and can be taken on and off fairly quickly. The construction seems top notch and they don’t detract too much from the bikes looks- anything to keep in the saddle longer, right?

ME880 Rear on Front- Initial Impressions

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:20:42 -0400

So far I have 500+ miles on the the Metz ME 880 REAR on front (mounted backwards), paired with the Dunlop SP5000 CT on the back, and all I can say is-- wow-- what a nice match!
I've taken it pretty hard through the twisties and, while not QUITE as good as the stock tires on my V*1300, it really fell into the corners very nicely. I couldn't detect any countersteering being necessary, and there was very, very little front/rear "twitchiness" when hitting uneven pavement throughout the sweepers- it's almost perfect.
I had been running the ME880 front tire previously- it sure doesn't LOOK that much different! Though, to be fair, the front tire did have 20k+ miles on it.
When first switching to the "darkside" I was impressed with the traction but a bit dismayed in the quirks in the handling- I found it to fall in unevenly throughout the lean/turn motions and to exhibit front/rear twitchiness when going over uneven pavement in hard sweeping corners.
I haven't had it in heavy rain yet so I'm holding off any final reviews until then -- there are less sipes on this than on the "front tire", but they seem to be pretty deep... should be good...
Some other things I'll be watching for... - It falls in maybe a little too easily :) but that could be just from the newness... - Have to test high speeds for wobbles-- so far it's good to 95.. - Will try different pressures to dial it in - There might be a little more road noise than before, but the new Roadburner exhaust is making it hard to tell for sure. - It seems like it MAY require a little more lean to turn the same amount with this tire, which means the boards scrape a bit earlier than before. I should have paid attention to what speed my boards scrape at on the onramp I take every morning... An easy adjustment and not a bad thing overall... The improved feel and turning smoothness is worth it...

Rear Motorcycle Tire on Front- Reversed

Sun, 1 Mar 2009 09:55:04 -0500

I replaced the well used (20k miles+) Metzler Marathon ME880 front tire with a ME880 REAR tire of the same size. The rear tire gets mounted in a reverse direction, per Metzler’s instructions.

The picture above shows the rear tire with directional reversed next to the front tire - the tread is almost the same with a bit more distance between sipes. At left is a Metzler ME880 REAR 130/90-16 73H tire with the direction reversed, and on the right is a ME880 Front 130/90-16 67H.

The general idea behind matching a rear MC tire on the front with a CT on the rear is that a) the longevity should match up better and b) the stiffness and profile of a rear MC tire should match the handling characteristics of the CT better.

So far the turn in seems to be easier and more natural, though I plan to take it through some twisties once the roads are clear of wintertime crud.